Venezia FC is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicola Boscaro as the Club’s new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).

Boscaro, who joins the Venice-based club after serving as Sales Director at AC Milan, will lead the revenue strategy with the goal of accelerating the growth of commercial activities and partnerships.

The manager will report directly to new President Francesca Bodie and the Board of Directors and, with the support of the Elevate team, will lead the strategic development of the Club’s revenue streams. Particular focus will be placed on positioning the new, state of the art stadium as a unique hub for sporting and entertainment events throughout the region and country, on the enhancement of the Club’s media rights, and on building strategic partnerships with the leading institutional and cultural stakeholders both locally, regionally and internationally.



“I would like to welcome Nicola on behalf of the entire Club and partners,”

“Nicola is one of the most experienced sports executives I’ve seen changing the way Clubs drive revenue and international brand recognition. I am confident that his proven track record in revenue development and establishing high-value partnerships, combined with a deep understanding of the Serie A football ecosystem, will be instrumental in accelerating our Club’s commercial growth. Together with Nicola and the rest of the management team, we aim to build an internationally recognized stadium home that will make Venezia FC one of the leading forces in Italian football as well as be an international point of destination for music and live entertainment. His arrival is a concrete testament to the ownership’s commitment and vision to be world class.”

“I am deeply honored to join the Venezia FC project, under the leadership and vision of Francesca Bodie and the entire ownership group" 

. I truly believe this represents one of the most exciting and forward-thinking projects in international football today. It is both a privilege and a great responsibility for me to become part of it, made even more meaningful by my Venetian roots”.



Throughout his career, Boscaro has gained significant experience in sponsorship, media, partnerships, and rights sales within international sports and entertainment organizations such as DAZN and the EuroLeague.


Nicola Boscaro is the new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Venezia FC

Venice, Italy – May 7, 2026 – Venezia FC, the professional football club of Venice, today announced that it completed a significant minority investment from an investment vehicle led by Tim Leiweke and Francesca Bodie, two noted leaders in global sports, entertainment, and real estate development. The investment is part of a €100 million fund raise conducted by the VFC Operating Committee (OpCo) during 2025-26, aimed at strengthening the club’s financial stability and supporting its ambitions to compete at the highest levels of Italian and European football.

Tim Leiweke has been appointed Co-Chairman of VFC’s OpCo alongside Rob Hamwee. Leiweke is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in global sports, having led teams to multiple championships across Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League, and pioneering the development of several of the world’s most successful sports and entertainment districts.

“VFC is an iconic team with a century-old history in the world’s most beautiful city, and we will be relentless in our pursuit of excellence and victories to enhance the legacy of this storied club,” said Tim Leiweke, Co-Chairman of VFC. “Having transformed the LA Galaxy and Toronto FC into champions and built premier sporting stadiums, we know what it takes to engineer a culture of winning and deliver fan-first experiences. We are bringing that same expertise to Venice to ensure VFC’s incredible fans have a world-class home and are a permanent fixture in Serie A.”

Francesca Bodie has been appointed President of VFC. Bodie is a leading executive in sports management and real estate development and brings deep expertise in scaling global brands and delivering exceptional fan experiences. She has been a primary architect of some of the most significant infrastructure and commercial projects in modern sports, including arena developments in major cities across the world.

“We invested because we love this city and its people and believe in the soul of this historic club,” said Francesca Bodie, President of VFC. “We are committed to honoring VFC’s deep history and distinct identity and executing a vision that will make us one of the country’s most competitive teams. VFC’s fans deserve continued success on and off the pitch and our mission is to ensure VFC reaches and cements its position as a force in Serie A. I am personally honored to work alongside Filippo Antonelli, other VFC leaders, and the VFC OpCo to continue to build a team that matches the greatness of this city.”

Leiweke and Bodie were introduced to the club through noted musician and VFC co-owner, Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham, who worked with them during their time at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, owner of the Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Tim and Francesca are incredibly good at what they do,” said Graham. “They know what success looks like and how to build it. We've done it before, and I'm excited to bring that energy to Venice."

Bodie will succeed Duncan Niederauer as President, who is stepping down from his role at the club. Niederauer will retain a small minority stake in VFC’s ownership group.

“It has been a pleasure working with Tim and Francesca this season and I am confident Francesca will do an amazing job for the club going forward,” said Niederauer. “It has been an exciting tenure as President and I am grateful to my partners on the VFC OpCo who, in the past three seasons, have not only led the organization, but also turned the club’s financial picture around to provide the stability needed to make our future as bright as possible.”

Leiweke and Bodie’s investment vehicle is now the largest outside shareholder of VFC, joining an established ownership group with several long-term members who have remained across multiple leadership groups.

“VFC is a special club and I’ve had the privilege of being a significant owner for nearly a decade,” said Ian McKinnon, Founding Partner of Sandia Holdings LLC. “Having worked closely with Tim and Francesca this season, I am certain the club is in the best possible hands. I am more optimistic today than I was on my first day as an owner, and I am proud to continue my support as they lead us into this new era of excellence."

VFC’s OpCo, with the benefit of Leiweke and Bodie’s experience, will continue to focus on building value in the club and investing in important initiatives including the development of the club’s new stadium in Bosco dello Sport. The VFC OpCo is also committed to working with Filippo Antonelli and the Sporting Division to ensure VFC has a home and training environment that reflects the city’s historic legacy and supports the club’s long-term ambition to compete regularly in Serie A and European competitions.

“Since being established during the 2023-24 season, the VFC OpCo has continued to build a stable financial structure to support the future growth of the team,” said Rob Hamwee, Co-Chairman of VFC. “Tim and Francesca have brought valuable expertise in sports management and stadium development since they joined the OpCo last year, and we are already seeing the benefits of their many contributions. We have added many valuable OpCo members during this season’s fund raise and I look forward to working with this group to further develop the club as we enter this next phase of VFC’s evolution and seek to cement our position in top-flight football.”

Bodie, Hamwee, and Leiweke will be joined by Brad Katsuyama (CEO, IEX Group) and Jonathan Wheaton (Principal, Sandia Holdings LLC), on the VFC Executive Committee.

In addition to Leiweke, Bodie, Hamwee, Katsuyama, and McKinnon, additional OpCo investors in the €100 million funding round include Michael Duggal (CEO, Duggal Visual Studios), Darrell Friesen (Director, Blue Nigel Investments), Cyril Goddeeris (Partner, Goldman Sachs), Phillip Hyun (Co-Founder, Gen-G), Wade Massad (Managing Member, Cleveland Capital), Rod Saddington (Founder and CEO, Merewether Investment), Ron Shurts (Co-founder and CEO, Annexus, and Owner, Arizona Rattlers), and Eugene Wang (CEO, Regent Holdings).





Venezia FC (VFC) is the professional football club of Venice, Italy. It is an iconic club known for its focus on sporting excellence and integrity combined with its mission on social responsibility, community development, art, and the preservation of Venice. Located on the lagoon island of Sant’Elena, the historic club plays at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, Italy’s second oldest stadium, adjacent to the grounds of the Venice Biennale. For most of the club's history, VFC has ranked in Italy's top two divisions. One of the club's most significant achievements was winning the Coppa Italia in 1940-41. More recently, VFC was promoted from Serie D, to Serie C, to Serie B between the years 2015 and 2020 and then to Serie A in 2021 and 2024. VFC achieved promotion in the 2025/26 season and will once again play in Serie A in 2026.

For additional information contact us at info@veneziafc.it or please visit, www.veneziafc.it. To purchase our merchandise, please visit our shop.

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Kelsey Markovich / Akash Lodh



Drake Brings Together New Ownership as Venezia FC Announces Strategic Investment from Tim Leiweke and Francesca Bodie as part of €100 million fund raise during 2025-26 Season

On behalf of the ownership group for Venezia FC, we continue to expand our commitment to the club both in capital and resources to succeed on and off the pitch. With that in mind, we have brought in the international and world-class sports and entertainment agency Elevate to assist in premium and sponsorship sales, creative, and insights for the club.

We have also signed a multi-year contract with international merchandise and product experts, Curva. Curva was part of delivering top-tier kits and merchandise for our 2025-26 season, and we believe they will provide the highest quality of product and global reach for Venezia FC merchandise production and deployment going forward.

In addition to these additive business resources, we have also brought on the world-leading sports venue designers, Populous, and internationally recognized project management firm CAA ICON to assist the club as we work with the City of Venice on the new stadium project after our recent award. We also want to thank Shesa architectural design who worked with us throughout the whole tender process until the award.

The ownership group has deep relationships and experience in sports and entertainment and has unwavering commitment to provide the best resources available to win. We stay focused on the remaining season and are solely focused on promotion back to Serie A with the great work by the team, coach and sporting director.


Venezia FC strengthens its growth path: new commercial agreements with leading international partners

Venezia FC S.p.A. announces that Mr. Tancredi Vitale has resigned from the Board of Directors, effective April 24, 2026. Vitale will step down as Managing Director of the Club to ensure a smooth transition in the remainder period.

Venezia FC expresses its sincere gratitude to Tancredi Vitale for his invaluable contribution to the development and enhancement of the Club's organizational framework. His dedication and expertise have been instrumental in successfully achieving all strategic Objectives set for the 2025-2026 season.



Commenting on his decision, Mr Tancredi Vitale said:


“This decision has been made after careful consideration; however, I have decided to pursue new professional opportunities. My tenure with Venezia FC has been an exceptional experience both professionally and personally, forged through close collaboration with the Shareholders, the Board of Directors, and every member of the Club.”



On behalf of Venezia FC S.p.A., the Board stated:


“We respect Tancredi’s decision and thank him for the professionalism and commitment he has shown during his tenure with Venezia FC, we wish him every success in the new chapter of his personal path and professional career.”



The Club will shortly announce the initiatives already underway to strengthen its commercial, sporting and operational structures, which remain fully focused on the Club’s ambitions for the forthcoming season.



Venezia FC

Nicola Boscaro is the new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Venezia FC

Drake Brings Together New Ownership as Venezia FC Announces Strategic Investment from Tim Leiweke and Francesca Bodie as part of €100 million fund raise during 2025-26 Season

Venezia FC strengthens its growth path: new commercial agreements with leading international partners

Tancredi Vitale Resigns from the Board of Directors of Venezia FC SpA